Traditional Heavy Metal

Traditional heavy metal, also known as classic metal or simply heavy metal, is the seminal genre of heavy metal music before the genre evolved and splintered into many different styles and subgenres.

Traditional heavy metal sound is in many cases similar to that of hard rock, and as previously mentioned some authors even consider as synonymous to hard rock.

According to this view, original heavy metal is characterized by mid-to-fast-tempo riffs, by thumping basslines, crunchy riffs, extended lead guitar solos, and clean, often high-pitched vocals and anthemic choruses. One of the most important and innovative concepts of traditional heavy metal was the use of the double lead guitar pioneered by bands like Scorpions and Judas Priest.